funndamental of atomic nuclear physics: chapter 1

IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
Slide set of 44 slides based on the chapter authored by
K. H. Ng and D. R. Dance
of the IAEA publication (ISBN 978-92-0-131010-1):
Diagnostic Radiology Physics:
A Handbook for Teachers and Students
Objective:
To familiarize students with basic principles of atomic and nuclear
Physics used in diagnostic radiology
Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Atomic and
Nuclear Physics
Slide set prepared
by E.Okuno (S. Paulo, Brazil,
Institute of Physics of S. Paulo
University)

IAEA
Diagnostic Radiology Physics: a Handbook for Teachers and Students – chapter 1, 2
Chapter 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Classification of radiation
1.3. Atomic and nuclear structure
1.4. X rays

IAEA
1.1 INTRODUCTION
is fundamental to the understanding of the physics of
medical imaging and radiation protection. This, the
first chapter of the Handbook, summarises those
aspects of these areas which, being part of the
foundation of modern physics, underpin the remainder
of the book
• structure of the atom
• elementary nuclear physics
• the nature of electromagnetic radiation
• production of X-rays
Knowledge of the

IAEA
1.2. CLASSIFICATION OF RADIATION
Radiation may be classified as:
Electromagnetic radiation Particulate radiation
• radiofrequency
• infrared
• visible light
• ultraviolet
• X rays
• gamma rays
• electrons
• positrons
• protons
• neutrons

IAEA
1.2.1. Electromagnetic radiation
c
x
y
z
Eo
Bo
λ
c
x
y
z
Eo
Bo
λ
Electromagnetic waves
consist of oscillating electric
and magnetic fields, which are
at right angles to each other
and also to the direction of
wave propagation
They are characterized by their:
• amplitudes Eo and Bo
• wavelength ( λ )
• frequency (ν ) and
• speed c = λ ν
In vacuum, c = 3×108m/s
For X rays:
• wavelength is usually
expressed in nanometre (nm)
(1 nm = 10-9m) and
• frequency is expressed in hertz (Hz)
(1 Hz = 1 cycle/sec = 1 sec-1)

IAEA
Electromagnetic spectrum as a function of:
• wavelength (nm)
• frequency (Hz)
WAVELENGTH (nm)
FREQUENCY (Hz)
1015 1012 109 106 10-6
103 1 10-3
3x102 3x105 3x108 3x1011 3x1014 3x1017 3x1020 3x1023
Radio
Television
Radar
MRI
Infrared
Ultra
violet Gamma rays
X Rays
diagnostic therapeutic

IAEA
Electromagnetic spectrum as a function of:
• photon energy (eV)
ENERGY (eV)

IAEA
1.2 CLASSIFICATION OF RADIATION
When interactions with matter are considered,
electromagnetic radiation is generally treated as series of
individual particles, known as photons. The energy E of
each photon is given by:
λ
/
hc
hv
E =
=
h (Planck’s constant) = 6.63×10-34 J·s = 4.14×10-15 eV·s
1 eV = 1.6×10-19 J, is the energy given to an electron by accelerating it through
1 volt of electric potential difference
ν (Hz = s-1) is the frequency of electromagnetic wave
λ (m) is the wavelength of electromagnetic wave
In diagnostic radiology the photon energy is usually expressed in units
of keV. 1 keV = 1000 eV

IAEA
1.2.2. Particulate radiation
In diagnostic radiology, the only
particulate radiation that needs to be
considered is the electron
rest mass of electron = 9.109 ×10-31 kg
rest energy of electron = 511 keV = 0.511 MeV

IAEA
1.2.3. Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
Non-ionizing radiation - cannot ionize
matter: (electromagnetic radiation with
energy below the far-ultraviolet region, e.g.
visible light, infrared and radiofrequency)
Ionizing radiation - can ionize matter: (fast
charged particles, X rays, gamma rays and
neutrons)

IAEA
Ionizing radiation - can ionize matter either:
Directly:
fast charged particles that
deposit their energy in matter
directly, through many small
Coulomb (electrostatic)
interactions with orbital
electrons along the particle
track
Indirectly:
X- or gamma- ray photons or
neutrons that first transfer their
energy to fast charged particles
released in one or a few
interactions in the matter through
which they pass. The resulting fast
charged particles then deposit
their energy directly in the matter

IAEA
Ionization potential is the minimum energy
required to ionize an atom. For elements its
magnitude ranges from a few eV for alkali
metals to 24.5 eV for helium. For water it is
12.6 eV
Element Ionization potential (eV)
H 13.6
C 11.3
O 13.6
Mo 7.1
W 7.9

IAEA
1.3. ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR STRUCTURE
1.3.1. Basic definitions
Most of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the
atomic nucleus which consists of:
• Z protons and
• (A – Z) = N neutrons
Z: Atomic number
A: Atomic mass number
Unified atomic mass unit µ: a unit used for specifying
the masses of atoms
1 µ = 1/12 of the mass of the 12C atom or 931.5 MeV/c2
An atom is composed of a central nucleus surrounded
by a cloud of negatively charged electrons

IAEA
Particle Charge (C) Rest energy (MeV)
Electron (e) - 1.602×10-19 0.511
Proton (p) +1.602×10-19 938.28
Neutron (n) 0 939.57
Radius of an atom ≈ 0.1 nm
Radius of the nucleus ≈ 10-5 nm
In a non-ionised atom:
number of electrons = number of protons

IAEA
Protons and neutrons are referred to as nucleons
They are bound in the nucleus with the strong force
The strong force between two nucleons is a very
short-range force, active only at distances of the
order of a few femtometer (fm). 1 fm = 10-15 m

IAEA
Cs
137
55
3
/
2
A
0155
.
0
98
.
1
A
+
=
Z
Empirical relation between A and Z
Ra
226
88
Co
60
27
nucleus of Cobalt-60
with 27 protons and
33 neutrons
nucleus of Cesium-137
with 55 protons and
82 neutrons
nucleus of Radium-226
with 88 protons and
138 neutrons
X
A
Z
Chemical
symbol for
the element
Atomic mass
number =
Z+N
Atomic
number
X-A
or
(Co-60)
(Cs-137)
(Ra-226)

IAEA
Isotopes of a given element have in the
nucleus :
• same number of protons, but
• different numbers of neutrons
Isotopes of chemical element hydrogen (Z = 1)
Isotopes of chemical element carbon (Z = 6)
ordinary hydrogen
deuterium
tritium
C
C
C
14
6
13
6
12
6
H
H
H
3
1
2
1
1
1

IAEA
Atomic weight Ar is a dimensionless physical quantity
The average is a weighted mean over all the isotopes of
the particular element taking account of their relative
abundance
Atomic mass M is expressed in unified atomic mass unit
The atomic mass M for a particular isotope is smaller
than the sum of the individual masses of constituent
particles because of the intrinsic energy associated with
binding the particles (nucleons) within the nucleus
unit
mass
atomic
unified
element
an
of
atoms
the
of
mass
average
=
r
A

IAEA
Atomic g-atom (gram-atom) is the number of grams
of an atomic substance that contains a number of
atoms exactly equal to one Avogadro’s constant
(NA = 6.022 × 1023 atoms/g-atom)
Atomic weight definition means that Ar grams of
each element contain exactly NA atoms. For a single
isotope M grams contain NA atoms
Example:
• 1 gram-atom of Cobalt- 60 is 59.93 g of Co-60
• 1 gram-atom of Radium-226 is 226.03 g of Ra-226

IAEA
Molecular g-mole (gram-mole) is defined as the number
of grams of a molecular compound that contains exactly
one Avogadro’s constant of molecules
(NA = 6.022 × 1023 molecule/g-mole)
The mass of a molecule is the sum of the masses of the
atoms that make up the molecule
Example:
• 1 gram-mole of water is ≈18 g of water
• 1 gram-mole of carbon dioxide is ≈ 44 g of carbon dioxide

IAEA
Note that (Z/ Ar) ≈ 0.5 for all elements, except for hydrogen, for
which (Z/ Ar) = 1. Actually, (Z/Ar) slowly decreases from 0.5 for
low Z elements to 0.4 for high Z elements
NA: Avogadro constant, Z : atomic number
Ar : atomic weight, ρ : density
Number of atoms per
unit mass of an element:
r
A
am
A
N
N =
Number of electrons per unit
volume of an element:
r
A
am
aV
A
N
Z
ZN
ZN ρ
ρ =
=
Number of electrons
per unit mass of an element: A
r
am N
A
Z
ZN =

IAEA
1.3.2. Atomic structure
Modern quantum mechanical model of the atom is
built on the work of many physicists
The idea of a dense central nucleus surrounded by
orbiting electrons was first proposed by
Ernest Rutherford in 1911
Rutherford’s atomic model is based on results of
the Geiger- Marsden experiment of 1909 with
α particles emitted from Radium C, scattered on
thin gold foils with a thickness of 0.00004 cm

IAEA
Geiger and Marsden found that:
• more than 99% of the α particles incident on the gold foil were
scattered at scattering angles less than 3o
• roughly 1 in 104 alpha particles was scattered with a scattering
angle exceeding 90o
This finding (1 in 104) was in drastic disagreement with the
theoretical prediction of one in 103500 resulting from Thomson’s
atomic model
positive charge
negative electrons
Thomson atomic model Rutherford atomic model
positive charge
negative electrons

IAEA
Rutherford proposed that:
• mass and positive charge of the
atom are concentrated in the
nucleus of the size of the order
of 10-15 m
• negatively charged electrons
revolve about the nucleus with a
radius of the order of 10-10 m
positive charge
negative electrons
Rutherford atomic model

IAEA
The Rutherford atomic model, however, had a
number of unsatisfactory features
For example, it could not explain the observed
emission spectra of the elements
Visible lines of emission spectrum for Hydrogen

IAEA
In 1913, Niels Bohr elaborated the model of hydrogen
atom, based on four postulates:
• the electron revolves in circular allowed orbit about the proton under the
influence of the Coulomb force of attraction being balanced by the
centripetal force arising from the orbital motion
• while in orbit, the electron does not lose any energy in spite of being
constantly accelerated
• the angular momentum of the electron in an allowed orbit is quantized and
only takes values of nћ, where n is an integer and ћ = h/2π, where h is
Planck’s constant
• an atom emits radiation when an electron
makes a transition from an initial orbit with
quantum number ni to a final orbit with
quantum number nf for ni > nf.
ni
nf
Ei
Ef
E = Ei - Ef

IAEA
Diagram representing
Bohr’s model of the
hydrogen atom, in which
the orbiting electron is
allowed to be only in
specific orbits of
discrete radii
proton
M, + e
r
electron
m, - e
F
v
ground state
excited state
Quantization of energy, with n = 1, 2, 3...
2
6
.
13
)
eV
(
n
En −
=

IAEA
Whilst the work of Bohr was a major
breakthrough, successfully explaining
aspects of the behaviour of the
hydrogen atom, the singly ionized
helium atom, and the doubly ionized
lithium atom, etc., the story did not stop
there

IAEA
Through the work of Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Dirac,
Pauli and others the theory of quantum mechanics was
developed. In this theory, the electrons occupy
individual energy states defined by four quantum
numbers as follows:
• the principal quantum number, n, which can take integer values
and specifies the main energy shell
• the azimuthal quantum number, l, which can take integer
values between 0 and n − 1
• the magnetic quantum number, m, which can take integer
values between – l and +l
• the spin quantum number, s, which takes values -1/2 or +1/2 and
specifies a component of the spin angular momentum of the
electron

IAEA
According to the Pauli Exclusion
Principle, no two electrons can
occupy the same state and it follows
that the number of electron states
that can share the same principal
quantum number n is equal to 2n2
The energy levels associated with n = 1, 2, 3 etc.
are known as the K, L, M etc. bands

IAEA
Zero Valence e-
N
M
K
-13.6
-3.4
-1.51
Hydrogen Z = 1
K series
L series
Energy (eV)
L
Energy (eV)
N
M
L
K
L series
K series
Tungsten Z = 74
Valence e-
Zero
- 11,500
- 69,500
- 2,300
Energy levels for hydrogen and tungsten. Possible
transitions between the various energy levels are
shown with arrows

IAEA
1.4. X RAYS
1.4.1. The production of characteristic X rays and Auger electrons
When charged particles pass through matter they
interact with the atomic electrons and lose energy
through the processes of ionization and excitation
ionization
Atom of Na
K
L
M
ground state
K
L
M
K
L
M
ionization
K
L
M

IAEA
If the transferred energy
exceeds the binding energy of
the electron, ionization occurs,
resulting in the electron
ejected from the atom. An
ion pair consisting of the
ejected electron and the
ionized, positively charged
atom is then formed
The average energy required
to produce an ion pair in air or
soft tissue for electrons is
equal to 33.97 eV
K
L
M
K
L
M
ejected electron
positive ion
ion pair
ion pair
1.4. X RAYS

IAEA
When charged particles pass through matter they
interact with the atomic electrons and lose energy
through the processes of ionization and excitation
1.4. X RAYS
K
L
M
Atom of Na
ground state
excited state
excitation
K
L
M
de-excitation
E = hν = Ei - Ef
K
L
M
E = hν

IAEA
Whenever a vacancy is created in an inner
electronic shell, it is filled by an electron
from a more distant (outer) shell
This results in a vacancy in this second
outer shell which is then filled by an
electron (if available) from an even more
distant outer shell and the whole process
repeats producing a cascade of transitions
1.4. X RAYS

IAEA
The energy released in each transition is carried
away by:
• the emission of electromagnetic radiation
depending on the atomic number of the
material, and the electronic shells
involved, this radiation may be in the
visible, ultraviolet, and X ray portions
of the spectrum
in case of X rays, they are known as
characteristic or fluorescent X rays
1.4. X RAYS
• an electron ejected from another outer shell,
known as Auger electron

IAEA
1.4. X RAYS
1.4.1. The production of characteristic X rays
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L
K
M
L
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L
Kα
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L Kβ
K
M
L
K
M
L
• Kα X ray is emitted for a
transition between
L and K shells
• Kβ X ray is emitted for a
transition between
M or N and K shells

IAEA
For tungsten (W):
the energies of the Kα and Kβ characteristic X rays
are given by:
E (Kα1) = ELIII - EK = - 10.2 - (- 69.5) = 59.3 keV
E (Kα2) = ELI - EK = - 11.5- (- 69.5) = 58.0 keV
E (Kβ1) = EMIII - EK = - 2.3 - (- 69.5) = 67.2 keV
E (Kβ2) = ENIII- EK = - 0.4 - (- 69.5) = 69.1 keV
1.4. X RAYS

IAEA
For molybdenum (Mo):
Energies of K, L and M shell
are:
EK = - 20.0 keV
EL = - 2.6 keV
EM = - 0.4 keV
the energies of the Kα and Kβ
characteristic X rays are
given by:
E (Kα) = EL - EK = - 2.6 - (- 20.0) = 17.4 keV
E (Kβ) = EM - EK = - 0.4 - (- 20.0) = 19.6 keV
1.4. X RAYS
cascading
electron
K L M
-20 keV
-2.6 keV
-0.4 keV -
-
- -
-
19.6 keV Kβ
Characteristic
X ray
vacant
-
Molybdenum
atom

IAEA
1.4. X RAYS
1.4.1. The production of Auger electrons
If the initial transition is from an M
to a K shell, and the Auger
electron is also emitted from the
M shell, there will be two resultant
vacancies in the M shell
The kinetic energy of the Auger
electron is thus determined by the
difference between the binding
energy of the shell with the initial
vacancy and the sum of the
binding energies associated with
the two vacancies which are
created. In case of molybdenum
atom, the energy of the Auger
electron is given by:
E (Auger) = EM + EM - EK = - 0.4 - 0.4 - (- 20.0) = 19.2 keV
cascading
electron
K L M
-20 keV
-2.6 keV
-0.4 keV -
-
- - -
-
19.2 keV
Auger
electron
vacant
Molybdenum
atom

IAEA
Auger electron emission is more important for materials of
low atomic number and for transitions amongst outer shells
The K-fluorescence yield is close to zero for low atomic
number materials, but increases with atomic number and is
0.007, 0.17, 0.60 and 0.93 for oxygen, calcium, selenium and
gadolinium respectively
When considering energy deposition in matter it is important
to know whether a fluorescent X ray or an Auger electron is
emitted
The probability of emission of a fluorescent X ray is known as
the fluorescent yield, denoted ω and the probability of
emitting an Auger electron is 1- ω
1.4. X RAYS

IAEA
1.4. X RAYS
1.4.2. Radiation from an accelerated charge, Bremsstrahlung
In inelastic interactions of the fast electrons with atomic
nuclei as they pass through matter, the electron path is
deflected and energy is transferred to a photon, which is
emitted
The emitted photon is known
as Bremsstrahlung, which
means “brake radiation”, in
German
The energy of the emitted
photon can take any value from
zero up to the energy of the
initial electron, producing a
continuous spectrum
Bremsstrahlung photons are the
major component of the X ray
spectrum emitted by X ray tubes

IAEA
The angle of emission of the Bremsstrahlung photons
depends upon the electron energy:
• for electron energies much greater than the rest
energy of the electron, the angular distribution is
peaked in the forward direction
• when the electron energy is low, the radiation is mainly
emitted between 60 and 90 degrees to the forward
direction
The probability of Bremsstrahlung emission is
proportional to Z2. But even for tungsten (Z = 74) the
efficiency of Bremsstrahlung production is less than 1%
for 100 keV electrons
1.4. X RAYS
1.4.2. Radiation from an accelerated charge, Bremsstrahlung

IAEA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• ATTIX, F.H., Introduction to Radiological Physics and
Radiation Dosimetry, John Wiley & Sons, New York
(1986)
• BUSHBERG, J.T., SEIBERT, J.A., LEIDHOLDT, E.M.J.,
BOONE, J.M., The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging,
2nd edn, Williams and Wilkins (2002)
• INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Radiation
Oncology Physics: A Handbook for Teachers and
Students, IAEA, Vienna (2005). http://www.
naweb.iaea.org/nahu/dmrp/publication.asp
• JOHNS, H.E., CUNNINGHAM, J.R., The Physics of
Radiology, 4th edn, Thomas, Springfield (1983)

funndamental of atomic nuclear physics: chapter 1

More Related Content

Similar to funndamental of atomic nuclear physics: chapter 1 (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

funndamental of atomic nuclear physics: chapter 1